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We’ve gathered our friends and families around sustainable furniture for years. These are our favorite credenzas and consoles that are sustainable, eco-friendly, and made to last.
One of the most useful pieces of furniture in your entire house, consoles and credenzas are also often the most overlooked. They can provide you with a closet’s worth of storage space, give you a discreet place to tuck away video game consoles, DVD players, and other unsightly electronics, and even anchor a room. If your TV is on top, that piece of furniture is getting more eyes on it than almost anything else in the house.
But we so often relegate consoles to the realm of hand-me-down Ikea furniture we’ve had for years. So if you’re in the market for a new media console, read on for some of our favorite sustainable picks.
Why shop for a sustainable credenza?
Since the most sustainable way to shop for furniture is secondhand, you’ll find some vintage furniture picks in the list below. And when we’re buying furniture new, we’re always looking for brands that craft with solid wood, rather than engineered wood — wooden furniture takes less energy and resources to make than furniture made from synthetic or composite materials, and it’ll typically leave you with a sturdier product that’ll last for years and years.
We also keep an eye out for brands that use plant-based finishes rather than synthetic lacquer, along with third-party certifications like FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), Greenguard Gold, and Fair Trade.
Our criteria:
Our editors have filled our family homes with safe, sustainable furniture for over a decade. For this list, we’ve compiled our favorite credenzas and media consoles from brands that are sustainable, eco-friendly, and built to last a lifetime. We regularly add new options to this list when they meet the following criteria:
- SUSTAINABLE & ECO-FRIENDLY | We’ve selected brands that are consciously undertaking measures to lessen their environmental impact and produce safe, nontoxic pieces for your home. We’ve noted the relevant certifications that back them. You’ll find options here that are FSC certified, Climate Neutral, and registered B Corps, and that’s just the start.
- DURABLE | The options on this list use natural, organic, and high-quality recycled materials whenever possible, meaning they’re naturally durable and will age beautifully.
- SMART FEATURES | These pieces are all thoughtfully made to accommodate your modern lifestyle. From easy assembly to wire-hiding features, the options on this list make your media setup simple.
Looking for more sustainable furniture to complete your living room setup? Check out some of our favorite nontoxic couches and coffee tables.
1. Thuma
Best For | Minimalistic furniture
Sustainable materials | Solid, upcycled wood
Prices starting at | $1,295
Nest makes one media console, called their Nest Credenza — but they really make five different credenzas, since it comes in five different styles. Their standard model is their 2×3, featuring two open shelves and two sets of drawers on either side, anchoring a living space with plenty of storage and a low profile perfect for displaying your flatscreen TV. Thuma’s 4×3 model is twice as tall with twice the amount of storage, and they make three other models that all have smaller widths. Each piece is crafted of 100% solid, upcycled wood, and has a rich walnut color that looks nice in any space. And, like all of Thuma’s furniture, the consoles are made to last a lifetime with a design that’s both high-end and no-frills, and a Greenguard Gold certification to ensure it won’t offgas any dangerous chemicals.
Customer Review | “This is so sturdy and the wood is beautiful. The package was super heavy, but everything came in great shape and looks beautiful. I also love that this is modular and can be added to later on. This is definitely worth the price!!” – Verified Buyer (Read more reviews.)
2. Burrow
Best For | Expandable furniture
Sustainable materials | Some pieces are solid wood
Prices starting at | $379
Burrow’s furniture isn’t just designed to last a lifetime — it’s also made to grow with you. Much of their furniture is modular, meaning you can expand it as your space or your family grows. Their Canon Shelving is the perfect example. It’s available in all sorts of sizes with all kinds of add-ons, meaning you can keep it simple with the Low Modular Shelf, or expand all the way to the full Canon Media Center that’s ten feet long and has plenty of room for your TV, books, DVDs, and more. And if the open shelving isn’t quite your style, the brand has some other console options, too — like the mid-century Opera Media Console or the Scandi-chic Totem Credenza.
Customer Review | “I couldn’t be happier with the totem credenza. It is gorgeous, solid, well made, simple and elegant and yet has a “presence” in the room. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to put together– excellent design. No tools needed?! I’d absolutely recommend this piece to anyone interested.” – Anonymous (Read more reviews.)
3. West Elm
Best For | Variety
Sustainable materials | FSC certified wood
Prices starting at | $259
Have a specific design in mind for your media console? West Elm probably has it. From simple and streamlined to huge and accommodating to strikingly attractive, West Elm’s media consoles are often sustainably sourced, Fair Trade, or Greenguard or FSC certified. We love the sturdy simplicity of this Mid-Century Media Console, made in a Fair Trade factory with FSC wood, or the size of the Emilia Media Collection. The Pierce Media Console has an elegantly elevated, Scandi-inspired design, and the Norre Floating Media Console mounts to the wall. Plus, the brand’s more affordable models start at less than $300.
4. Sundays
Best For | Kid-friendly wood furniture
Sustainable materials | Solid wood
Prices starting at | $1,490
Sundays designs furniture that’s as functional as it is beautiful, and their media consoles, made with primarily solid wood, are no exception. They made a few different credenzas, but our favorite is their best seller: The Easy Edge Media Unit. It has a sleek design that looks modern without feeling overly trendy. But the best part is its curved tambour doors that give the console no sharp edges — perfect if you have toddlers cruising around. It offers plenty of storage space to discreetly tuck away any and all gaming consoles and other odds and ends, and it comes in four natural wood options. Sundays has a couple other beautifully designed credenzas, too, like the Tidal Media Unit and the Showcase Media Unit, and they offer free shipping to the US and Canada.
Customer Review | “Not only am I obsessed with this piece, but also just the overall experience of ordering with Sundays. Delivery is a breeze and the team takes care of set up which alleviates the typical stress that comes with ordering furniture.” – Spencer L. (Read more reviews.)
5. Article
Best For | Mid-century and modern furniture
Sustainable materials | Solid wood, natural cane
Prices starting at | $699
Specializing in mid-century and modern furniture, Article creates a handful of different media consoles in varying mid-century, contemporary, and modern designs that will elevate your space without overwhelming it. They’re all constructed to last with solid wood, engineered wood, and steel, and they come in various shapes, sizes, and finishes. We love the Jokuna Media Unit that measures less than four feet but has plenty of room inside for discreet storage and comes in either oak or walnut options — along with the Candra Media Unit, with rounded edges and a gorgeous woven fisheye cane pattern made from natural rattan throughout, so you can tuck speakers inside without compromising on sound quality.
Customer Review | “This media unit is really beautiful! It’s super solid and was very easy to put together (thank you Article). It holds all of our essential TV & gaming stuff and the shelves can be adjusted which is nice. Love it!” – Gigi F. (Read more reviews.)
6. MasayaCo
Best For | Sustainably harvested wood
Sustainable materials | Solid teak wood
Prices starting at | $1,000
One of our favorite furniture brands here at TGT, MasayaCo calls itself “seed to seat.” The brand maintains their own old-growth teak forests and plants thousands of seedlings yearly on deforested land, so they mean it when they say their wood is sustainably harvested. And they use every part of the trees they plant in their handcrafted, solid wood furniture, including their media consoles. Their pieces have gorgeous designs to boot — we love the asymmetrical practicality of the Maderas Console Shelf, the crisp lines of the Granada Credenza, and the discreet storage of the Maderas Credenza. Each piece is handmade to order and ships free, too.
7. Etsy
Best For | Pre-loved vintage furniture
Sustainable materials | Solid wood, upcycled furniture
Prices starting at | $385
Etsy can be an absolute goldmine of secondhand furniture and handmade furniture from small businesses — you just have to know where to look. Some of our favorite secondhand media consoles and credenzas from Etsy include this refurbished mid-century modern solid walnut and oak sideboard from the ‘60s, or this stunning walnut credenza with patchwork burlwood doors with a sculptural overlay. Or, support contemporary artisans with pieces like this credenza with tons of storage made of recycled teak wood, or this console handmade of solid pine wood in Turkey.
Customer Review | “Great product. Looks just like the pictures, is easy to assemble and ships fast. We asked for some size adjustments to the drawers and they were able to accommodate. Great work, guys :)” – tanyahaddad89 (Read more reviews.)
8. Maiden Home
Best For | Elegant designs
Sustainable materials | Solid white oak, solid mahogany, cashew lacquer
Prices starting at | $3,250
We love Maiden Home’s stunning, handcrafted furniture pieces that serve to anchor any home — and look like functional art pieces. Case in point? Their Sabine Sideboard, available in both four-door and three-door options. The sideboard features either three or four doors of storage with both shelves and drawers, along with curved edges that draw inspiration from Parisian tailoring. The consoles have glass tops for easy cleaning, along with veneered frames with edges of either solid white oak or mahogany, and cashew or sugar lacquer finishing.
9. CB2
Best For | FSC certified credenzas
Sustainable materials | FSC certified wood
Prices starting at | $1,299
CB2, Crate & Barrel’s more sophisticated, sustainable older sibling, aims to make the furniture industry more sustainable with their use of FSC certified wood, Oeko Tex Standard 100 certified fabrics, and organic cotton. To that end, they make a handful of credenzas and media consoles with FSC wood (meaning the wood is sourced from responsibly managed forests) that don’t sacrifice quality or design. Their Ash Wood Media Console, for example, is made with an FSC-certified ash wood veneer along with angled doors for ease of opening and to add visual interest. Their Seymour Linen Credenza is made with a solid American white oak frame along with two soft-close doors and three soft-close drawers, all with glossy black lacquered linen fronts, and the Bishop Oak Wood Credenza is one of their best sellers.
Customer Review | “I love the natural wood. It’s modern and fun but still has a collected, unique feel. We have it in our sitting room currently, but it feels versatile enough to use in the guest room or tv room.” – Margaret (Read more reviews.)
Bonus: Apt Deco
Best For | Secondhand furniture
Prices starting at | $60
One more brand that deserves a space on this list? AptDeco, one of our favorite home goods suppliers for their curated selection of secondhand furniture. The online marketplace makes both buying and selling secondhand furniture an absolute breeze, and they have a wide selection of all types of furniture — including sideboards and credenzas. Pieces range from super simple console tables that go for under $100, to one-of-a-kind restored vintage pieces you won’t find anywhere else.
Natalie Gale is a Boston-based freelance journalist. Since 2022, she has been reviewing the top sustainable home, wellness, fashion, and beauty products, sharing her honest opinion on the best finds. When she’s not writing about art, food, or sustainability, you can find her biking to the farmers’ market, baking, sewing, or planning her next Halloween costume. Say hi on Instagram!
